The second year of University has started for Chloe and it is all change as she moves house and settles back into student life. The cost of University has been well documented on my blog which I know surprised many people. The living loan is a significant figure for parents like us and it requires us to provide a weekly allowance for Chloe that impacts on family life.
The cost of living in Year 2 is thankfully less as she has moved out of halls and into a shared house. Chloe is now living a house that they have rented from a company that specialises into University living. She seems to have landed on her feet as the management company have been really good so far and sorted any teething problems quickly and with little fuss.
We pay an all-inclusive rate which covers bills including wifi, TV license and utility bills. This is also £50 per week cheaper than halls were. This means that her student loan covers her accommodation this year leaving us to cover her costs of living.
In Chloe’s house, she is now living with 6 other hockey players which as you can imagine is fun! Thankfully there are two showers for when they all arrive home from training at the same time!
Chloe has also taken on responsibility in the hockey club and is the Umpire Sec – I am pretty sure she did this just to claim another nice hoodie! Hockey really is everything to Chloe and her friends. She trains at least 4 times a week plus matches.
Her little sister seems to be following in her footsteps as she is starting her second season for Gloucester Hockey Club.
One cost at University I wasn’t initially aware of though is paying hockey subs. I hadn’t factored that into her allowance and didn’t realise of the £45 per week she had to live on she was spending about £8 on hockey match fees. This year I have covered that additional cost for her. When she started as a fresher she obviously needed a new kit which I expected. Playing sport at University level is still expensive. I am glad that Chloe has always continued with her sport because I feel it is really important for physical and emotional wellness. It is important that she does her sport to feel the best version of herself.
One of the biggest costs with hockey is the stick although thankfully you don’t need a new one every season! However, Chloe’s eye was wandering and we were thrilled when she was offered a new hockey stick. Chloe picked out a Rofy hockeystick for both her ad Erin.
Chloe has used the stick now in a couple of games and in training this week and said it is really lightweight carbon stick with a mid bow. It sells for 254Euros and she is really pleased with it.
The hockey stick handles well and also looks really good. It was not a brand that she knew but she did some research and has not been disappointed with it. It is now replacing her older stick and she is happy to recommend it – and that comes from someone playing first-team University Hockey!
I am hoping this year that I will get to see her play as I do miss watching her games and would love to see how she has progressed. She has started the season really fit after spending the summer at Iron Zuu like me and she is even doing the 10K Plymouth run just for fun next weekend.
She is ready to smash Yr2 like she did year 1 and whilst I miss her we Facetime all the time and we have adapted well to her living away.
